Sailing Away From Denial
by ladeesarah001
Summary: ONE-SHOT - Some friendships are inexplicable and no one on the outside can understand how they work. Sometimes they don't and the people involved are simply in denial, the friendship between Harry, Ron and Hermione is just one such example. AU


**Sailing Away From Denial**

Author: ladeesarah001  
>Category: Harry Potter<br>Rating: M (mature themes, sexual references, coarse language)  
>Published: 16 May, 2011<strong><br>**Completed: Yes

**Summary:  
><strong>Some friendships are inexplicable and no one looking in from the outside can understand how they work. Sometimes they don't and the people involved are simply in denial, the friendship between Harry, Ron and Hermione is just one such example. It is easy to understand the bond forged between two people who were thrust into a new world of which they were completely ignorant and then experienced countless, dangerous adventures together with unflagging loyalty. However, it is harder to understand the connection between people who have either completely divergent interests and can barely interact without fighting or where one is continually jealous of the other and does not return that loyalty in kind.  
>Very AU from OOTP onwards, a little AU for GOF and even before that.<br>Characters are OOC, in my opinion in character for the situations they find themselves in, but OOC considering the HP books.

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><p>Disclaimer: The Harry Potter universe was thought into existence by J.K. Rowling, I just twist it a bit in my warped little mind.<p>

**THE CHAPTER**

Ostracise was a word that could score as much as 83 points in a scrabble game, possibly more depending upon where you placed the tiles on the board [1], it was a word that at present didn't even come close to describing how a sizeable group of witches and wizards were being treated by the Order of the Phoenix. Their only saving grace was that none of the Order had tried to curse or hex them yet, especially since they had all had their wands disabled.

A rather unseen turn of events had left the three Malfoys, Pansy Parkinson, the Puceys, Marcus Flint, Graham Montague, Tracy Davis, the Greengrasses, Theodore Nott, Gregory Goyle, Millicent Bullstrode and her mother as well as Blaise Zabini and his seeking sanctuary with the Order of the Phoenix. The members of the Order of the Phoenix had been unable to refuse since Severus Snape had vouched for them and Albus Dumbledore, before his untimely death, had negotiated terms with them. The presence of the twenty one Slytherin had raised tensions at headquarters to nearly unbearable levels and there was a veritable chasm between the Order and the seats where those Slytherin sat. The three unoccupied seats beside them looked as though they would remain empty, even if it meant some wizards had to stand, that is, until Severus Snape swept into the room and arranged himself in the leftmost chair. All conversation ground to a halt as the Order clamoured to see who would dare sit next to the collection of dark witches and wizards, upon seeing that it was just the Potions Professor their conversations resumed.

The sounds of conversation dimmed again following the distinctive sound of Grimmauld Place's front door being opened and closed. A veritable mixture of whispers, pointed fingers and dark looks greeted the newest arrival to Order headquarters, but no one tried to prevent their entrance or even try to approach or even speak to them.

"Even less popular than you, Severus," commented Lucius Malfoy, his cold smirk settling across his lips.

"So it would seem," the dark haired wizard agreed, completely ignoring his friend's blatant fishing for information.

The whispers and the pathetic Gryffindorish attempts at stealing covert glances increased in intensity and it became apparent that whoever had just arrived was headed towards the cluster of Slytherin. Shortly, a petite brunette witch came into view, delicate fingers deftly unfastening a long black military style trench coat. The coat was unmistakeably an item of Muggle clothing, but nonetheless it was clearly of a high quality and an extremely expensive garment. The onlookers, most of whom were Slytherins, were surprised by the darkly sophisticated clothing that was revealed as the coat was removed; especially since many of them recognised the witch in question. The young witch's clothing was decidedly Muggle and consisted of a cowl necked, hunter green knit top, an obscenely short, by wizard standards, black skirt worn over sheer black tights and paired with black ankle boots [2]. Despite the fact that the brunette was not of Salazar's house, her choice of Slytherin colours was admired as she calmly crossed the room and claimed the seat next to Severus Snape, neatly folding her coat across her lap.

"Hello, Professor, word has it that you're working on some kind of miracle potion," the young witch greeted her Professor with a conversational tone and a glint of mischief in her eyes.

"Does it, now?" Severus Snape asked noncommittally.

"It does," the witch responded simply. "I also have it on good authority that the potion is extremely volatile and you are yet to procure the final ingredient, six drops of virgin's blood."

"What is it that you want Miss Granger?" the Potions Professor finally snapped irritably, unused to playing this type of game with the Gryffindor and not liking it one bit.

"Nothing Professor," she replied indignantly with faux innocence and fake hurt. "I was just concerned for your wellbeing and wanted to make sure that you checked the purity of the virgin's blood. It could be catastrophic if you added anything other than virgin's blood to such a dangerous potion."

"My wellbeing?" the wizard questioned, amusement tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Yes, Professor," Hermione answered earnestly with a nod of her head. She knew that her Potions Professor knew that she wasn't giving a more skilled potions maker friendly advice and that she indeed had ulterior motives. The farce of a conversation was amusing nonetheless, not just to them, but to their Slytherin onlookers also.

If the Potions Master was irritated that Hermione Granger didn't immediately vacate the seat next to him, he didn't show it. In fact, he as well as the other Slytherins were trying to puzzle out the witch's motivation for striking up the farcical conversation to begin with. Their questions were put to bed by the arrival of the plump and homely Weasley matriarch.

"Hermione, dear, there you are," Mrs. Weasley spoke to the petite witch, "Ginny suggested that you might like to volunteer your blood for Severus' new potion."

"Allowing blood to be used in a potion is a very serious thing, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione replied with a tone of contemplative seriousness before continuing brightly. "But you know I'd do anything to help the Order."

"It is a very volatile potion, Miss Granger," Snape intoned in his silky voice. "Only a certain type of blood can be used or the results would be most, _dire_."

"Oh, does the blood need to be from a pureblood witch or wizard?" the witch asked innocently, secretly pleased that her Professor was playing her game.

"No, Miss Granger, the blood needs to be taken from a virgin," the surly wizard corrected her; all the while he and the many onlookers wondered what exactly the smartest witch of her age was playing at.

"Then you can't use my blood, I'm not a virgin," Hermione commented thoughtfully. "Mrs. Weasley, do you think Ginny would let Severus use some of her blood? I'm sure she understands how important this potion could be in the war."

"Mmm, good idea," the Weasley matriarch commented distractedly, eyeing Hermione critically, obviously displeased to learn that the girl wasn't a virgin.

The small army of witches and wizards who were watching the exchange, all of whom were Slytherins, noted the small smile that graced Hermione Granger's lips for the barest of moments when Mrs. Weasley called her daughter over.

"Oh, Hermione, aren't you going to let them use your blood? You know how important this potion could be for the war effort," Ginny started speaking before her mother could say anything.

"Hermione's blood can't be used in the potion, Ginny," the plump witch explained to her daughter, her censure of Hermione plain to hear in her voice. "Don't worry, dear, Severus will only need a few drops."

Before Ginny Weasley could respond to her mother's words, Severus Snape had fluidly risen from his seat and withdrawn his wand. A flicker of fear in a certain redheaded witch's eyes was noticed by the Slytherins witnessing the exchange, but not her mother.

"Considering the potions volatility and the _developments_ which appear to have already taken you unawares, Molly, I think it best that I test the viability of the potential ingredient," the Potions Professor declared, his eyes training meaningfully on the witch seated beside him as he said the word 'development'. Severus Snape knew that his current actions were exactly what the witch was hoping for, but he pushed the thought aside, reminding himself that he would have checked the purity of the blood whether Hermione Granger had spoke to him minutes ago or not.

"Oh, of course," replied the now rather flustered Mrs. Weasley. "There's nothing to worry about with my Ginevra though."

"Even so," the Professor said before wordlessly casting a charm over Ginny Weasley with a practiced flick of his wrist.

To the absolute horror of Mrs. Weasley, her daughter's body was briefly encompassed in a red-orange glow. The witch's horror was brought on not only by the fact that the glow hadn't been white to signify purity, but also by the fact that her daughter had glowed a red-orange rather than a simple red, symbolising that she had had sex for pleasure or to satisfy lust rather than for love [3]. The Slytherins covertly observing the proceedings were mildly interested in this outcome, while Hermione was doing a commendable job of masking her glee.

"Upstairs now," came Molly Weasley's deadly hiss and her daughter, not even trying to delay the inevitable, quickly scurried up the stairs with her mother hot on her heels.

"What's wedged itself up her ass now?" asked a middle aged wizard with dark, tousled hair as he settled himself into the chair on Hermione's right, handing her a crystal glass before pouring her a generous measure of firewhiskey and then a similarly obscene volume in another glass for himself.

"Oh, you know, I imagine she's behaving as any decent pureblood witch who's just discovered that her daughter isn't as _innocent_ as she seems would," the witch commented casually, taking a sip of her drink.

"I wonder who she slept with," Sirius commented idly, not expecting a response.

"Only the entirety of the Gryffindor fifth and sixth years save for Ronald, Harry and Neville," Hermione answered without even having to pause and think, disgust colouring her voice. "I don't know about the other houses."

"She wouldn't lower herself to sleep with Longbottom?" Draco Malfoy sneered before the older wizard could respond.

"On the contrary, Neville has standards," the witch countered, effectively silencing the Slytherin.

"What exactly was that?" her Potions Professor asked, giving voice to the question that was plaguing the minds of most of those present.

"What do you mean, Professor?" Hermione asked innocently.

Severus raised an eyebrow while Sirius and several of the Slytherins smother chuckles over the witch's cheek.

"Oh fine," the witch huffed. "I knew Ginny was going to try and embarrass me so I took preventative steps."

"Preventative steps," Sirius snorted.

"She started it and I finished it," the witch declared smugly.

"How very Slytherin of you," Sirius smiled, his smile only grew when he noted the confused expression on Harry's face; he had obviously only heard part of the conversation.

"Indeed, you would have done well in Slytherin, despite your unfortunate heritage," complimented Lucius Malfoy, his comment receiving several slight nods of agreement from his companions.

"Mhmm, that's what the Sorting Hat said too," agreed the witch with a smile, accepting the comment as it was intended, as a compliment.

"Really?" asked Harry, the excitement in his voice was tangible. "The Sorting Hat said the same to me, but I've always been afraid of mentioning it for the obvious reasons."

"Honestly, Harry," Hermione exclaimed.

"No, no, don't you start," Harry cut the witch off. "I've heard your rant about house stereotypes so many times that I have it memorised and probably mumble it in my sleep."

Sirius chuckled as Hermione harrumphed at her best friend's words.

"You're looking very Slytherin today, Hermione," Sirius commented, clearly attempting to prevent an argument before it could get started.

"For Merlin's sakes, it's just a colour and I happen to like green," the witch huffed. "It's my favourite colour and since starting Hogwarts I barely get to wear it."

"Me too," Harry commented thoughtfully. "But we're not going to use it as an excuse to start a debate about house stereotypes."

"A poor attempt to change the subject, I apologise," Sirius agreed with a chuckle. "What exactly is going on with you and the Weasleys at the moment Hermione? I know you and Ron constantly fight, but this is unprecedented even for you two and even the other members of the Order seem to be taking sides."

Harry shifted forwards in the seat Sirius had conjured for him, clearly interested in his friend's answer, as a ripple of interest travelled about the room as many pairs of ears perked up at the prospect of hearing the young witch's perspective on the recent falling out. Even the surly Potions Professor's interest was piqued.

"Oh, no you don't Severus Snape, I'm getting Sirius to cast privacy charms and swearing him and Harry to secrecy unless you openly admit to being interested in my answer," the young witch threatened, perturbed by her Professor's near constant proclamations of disinterest in his students' personal lives, despite the carefully veiled interest in Sirius' question and her answer.

"Fine, I am interested to know what petty trifle is currently overshadowing the Order's pursuit of the Dark Lord's destruction," the wizard finally relented.

"I suppose that will do," the witch relented, her head cocked to the side in thought.

"I should hope so, it is all that you shall receive," the wizard retorted.

"Right, well, after the meeting last week Ronald approached me to talk," Hermione started to explain. "He prefaced with a rambling diatribe about how we'd been friends since the Halloween of first year and proceeded to give me a small, badly wrapped, present. Once it was unwrapped, I discovered a ring box containing a Wizard's Promise Ring." [4]

"So the Weasels are in a snit because you rejected the youngest Weasel?" Draco Malfoy summarised tactlessly.

"Ron proposed?" Harry exclaimed before Hermione could respond. "But you two can barely hold a civil conversation without ending up in an argument and you haven't even been dating. What a berk!" [5]

"Exactly and that's why I rejected the ring," Hermione agreed with her friend. "However, Mrs. Weasley doesn't appear to have been aware of that and in hindsight it not explains what her extra, unexpected, Christmas gift."

"But she always sends us both knitted jumpers, has since first year," Harry protested, clearly still angry about his redheaded friend's idiocy towards his muggleborn friend.

"No, not the jumper, Harry," Hermione smiled at her friend's confusion and his support of her. "She also gifted me a book titled, 'A Witch's Guide to Being a Good Wizarding Wife' by Odyne Black [6].

"She what?" Sirius snorted, nearly choking on his firewhiskey.

"I found it an interesting read actually, Hermione commented thoughtfully. "It's really similar to a famous Muggle hoax, an article supposedly published in the fifties called 'The Good Wife's Guide' [7]. My views on gender discrimination and stereotypes in the Wizarding world aren't exactly a secret and at the time I thought it was a really thoughtful gift. That was before Ron's stupidity of course."

"That still doesn't explain the drama between you and the Weaslette," Pansy spoke for the first time. "The witch is stupid, but surely even she knew that you and her brother weren't dating and that you'd reject him."

"She's not completely stupid, she just sucks at plotting," Hermione agreed with a wry smile. "No, Ginny's issues are completely separate, she sent me a Howler about two days ago."

"Ginny sent you a Howler," Harry and Sirius exclaimed at the same time along with Fred and George who had crept closer to the group once they had abandoned the pretence that they weren't eavesdropping on the conversation.

"Why would she –"

"Send you a –"

"Howler?" Fred and George asked in disbelief.

"Apparently it's my fault you wouldn't but your girlfriend the necklace she wanted when the two of you were shopping in Diagon Alley the other day," Hermione said with an indifferent shrug. "I need to stop meddling in other people's lives it would seem."

"She blames you for the fact that I wouldn't buy her a four and a half thousand galleon necklace and wasn't swayed by the argument that I can afford it? And that's completely ignoring the fact that she's not my girlfriend. I know she's Ron's sister, but aside from that were not really even friends," Harry exclaimed.

"Don't worry, Harry. Her mother is upstairs as we speak, explaining to her that no wizard likes a witch who whores herself around," Hermione soothed with a feral smile on her lips which was quite the contradiction to comfort her words were supposed to provide.

"Do tell –"

"We have to –"

"Hear this," the Weasley twins singsonged.

"Your darling sister tried to publicly humiliate Hermione by getting Snivellus –"

"Sirius," Hermione admonished.

"– to declare that she was still a virgin at sixteen. However, our Hermione out manoeuvred her and brought Ginny's sexcapades to your mother's attention," Sirius explained to the twins completely ignoring Hermione's outraged interjection in response to his childish name calling.

"I really don't understand all this rubbish about virgins," Harry muttered darkly.

"Potter, a virgin is someone who hasn't had sex," Draco Malfoy told him in a serious voice.

"That's not what I meant you prat."

"That's because you, like me, were brought up in the Muggle world, Harry," Hermione began her lecture with a fond smile, completely ignoring Draco's contribution. "Muggles are far less conservative when it comes to talking about sex, even if Wizarding society is more accepting of minorities like homosexuals [8]. I'm sure you remember health class and the discussions about where babies come and the weird changes your body is and is about to experience."

The bright flush that coloured Harry's cheeks confirmed this and was also reflected on the cheeks of several witches and wizards who were listening in on their conversation.

"Plus I'm sure you noticed that there isn't an equivalent class at Hogwarts, young witches and wizards are expected to get this information from their parents," the young witch continued, seemingly oblivious to her audience's discomfort. "Anyway, Muggles have accepted for quite some time that their children won't be virgins by the time they marry and the current trend is that Muggles are losing their virginity and younger and younger ages. Being a virgin can even carry a stigma."

"In the Wizarding world, teens have assimilated the Muggle stigmas relating to still being a virgin by a certain age while magical society still more strictly adheres to the tradition of being pure at marriage. Also, virginity, for wizards, holds greater significance because they understand the inherent value or power of virgin's blood, especially as a potions ingredient. So there's this conflict between losing your virginity and shaking the stigma of being considered a prude or undesirable and protecting your innocence and the potency of your blood," Hermione concluded her impromptu lecture.

"How did we start talking about this again?" Harry asked, more than a little bewildered.

"Oh, Professor Snape's new miracle potion requires virgin's blood," Hermione answered matter-of-factly, her cheeks pinking a little.

"So, green's your favourite colour?" Sirius asked, attempting to change the subject for the umpteenth time.

"Green's your favourite colour?" the twins repeated the question.

"Like always –"

"Forever and ever –"

"Or is this just a recent thing?"

"Ever since I turned off pink, green has been my favourite colour," Hermione told them with an amused smile.

"What's the colour pink ever done to you?" asked Fred, or possibly George.

"What hasn't the colour pink done to her?" asked George, or possibly Fred.

Harry and Sirius were openly laughing at the twins' antics. Some of the nearby Slytherins were also fighting against their twitching lips, while Hermione's cheeks were starting to burn an impressive red.

"Oh, hello –"

"Pink has –"

"Done something," the twins exclaimed in glee once they caught sight of Hermione's fierce blush.

"It's so embarrassing," Hermione practically wailed as she buried her face in her hands.

"Oh, no you don't, you have to tell us now," Sirius cajoled. "It would be just plain mean to leave us hanging with just that little titbit."

"Fine," Hermione huffed. "But not a word will be spoken of it ever again."

After receiving enough nods to appease her desire for secrecy, Hermione related the childhood story.

"When I was three, maybe four years old, we lived in a heritage protected area of London. My parents were having the outside of our house painted and dad asked me what colour I wanted the door to be, expecting me to choose either red or blue which were the colours the area's building codes restricted residents to. I chose pink instead and when my dad told me we couldn't paint our front door pink, I might have thrown a little tantrum and accidentally turned all the doors in a roughly five mile radius pink," Hermione mumbled the last part, but everyone heard her perfectly anyway.

"Brilliant," the twins exclaimed at the same time.

"No it wasn't," Hermione wailed. "Obliviators came as well as a team of wizards from the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad who spent a week trying to unpink the doors. Eventually they called in the Unspeakables and when they couldn't reverse the magic either, the Minister contacted the ICW and a whole host of Obliviators came from all over Europe to alter all of the Muggles' memories so that they would think that part of London had always had pink doors. It was the largest casting of memory charms since the Ilfracombe Incident in 1932."

"You created the Pink District," Harry snorted in laughter.

"Mione, that's wicked," the twins congratulated her.

"It's embarrassing is what it is," mumbled Hermione, her face was now a bright scarlet. "My parents were horrified, we moved less than a month later."

"Muggles," Sirius commented with a shake of his head. "If Regulus or I had displayed that kind of magic when we were kids our parents would have thrown ball after ball to give themselves a forum to gloat about it to their friends."

"Mmm," agreed Lucius Malfoy. "There was some legislation proposed a few years back to remove magical children from their Muggle families once they started to display magic, it is hardly difficult to understand the reasoning."

"That's awful," Hermione commented in disbelief.

"It is easy to see where they were coming from though," Sirius commented. "It certainly would have made your and Harry's childhoods easier if you were placed with families that would appreciate your talents."

An awkward silence pervaded throughout the room at these words. Those who knew of the difficult childhoods that Harry and Hermione had suffered through couldn't come up with words that were appropriate to utter and those who didn't know much about them were left to wonder as to what Sirius Black was referring.

"I'm sorry about Ginny," Harry offered in a small voice, breaking the silence.

"What for?" the witch asked. "The two of us have never been friends, we have nothing in common, she's Ron's little sister and that's about it."

"Still," the young wizard persisted, searching for the words he needed to express the complicated sentiment he was feeling. "Wait, what do you mean you're not friends?"

"Harry, how _could_ we be?" Hermione asked in exasperation. "All Ginny's interested in is money, status, gossip, boys, makeup and Quidditch. There are a few, _very_ tiny, overlaps in our interests and in those rare circumstances the degree of our interest is vastly different; it's hardly something to base a friendship on."

"Then why are we friends?" Harry asked in a small voice, his insecurities plain for anyone to see. "You don't have much in common with Ron and me either."

"Ronald, no I don't, but you and I have plenty in common Harry Potter," Hermione corrected her friend with an amused smile. "Even setting aside a wealth of shared experiences over the last six years we both grew up in the Muggle world. You, and maybe Dean, are the only ones who'll understand how frustrating it is to have a teacher, or anyone really, briefly mention something and for the whole class except for you to instantly know what they're talking about."

"True, I hate how everyone else always seems to know more about me that I do," Harry agreed with a smile. "So, what about Ron then?"

"I don't think so," Hermione said thoughtfully. "We have nothing in common, he constantly ridicules me and my subject choices, we fight constantly, the only time he behaves in a nearly civil way towards me is when he wants _help_ with his homework and if I'm perfectly honest the only reason I tolerate his presence is because he's your friend. And he has a nasty habit of disappearing when you need the support of a friend."

"Hermione!" an angry voice shouted before anyone else could make any further comment on failing friendships, friendships that never really existed to begin with or Hermione's latest revelation.

Everyone stilled at the sound of the irate young wizard's approach. Long-forgotten instincts telling them that it would be better if they remained very still and didn't make a sound; best not to provoke it further.

"What did you do to Ginny?" the youngest male Weasley practically snarled.

"Nothing that she wasn't quite prepared to do to me, apparently," Hermione countered, her embarrassment long forgotten.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ron spluttered.

"That she orchestrated events such that Professor Snape would cast a Purity Charm on me to embarrass me,_ Ronald_," Hermione seethed and everyone in the vicinity shied away from her shrill voice.

"Being a virgin is nothing to be ashamed of Herms," Ron attempted to comfort the witch, his shift in mood causing the onlookers whiplash. "Your future husband is sure to appreciate it."

"You complete prat," Hermione stated in disbelief. "And how many times have I told you not to call me that?"

"I suppose you reckon that bloke's gonna be you," Harry muttered darkly.

"Open mouth, insert foot," chorused the twins, disgusted with their brother.

"Boys, there you are," greeted Arthur Weasley. "Molly has just informed me of the situation with Severus' new potion, I'm sure one of you can volunteer some blood."

Arthur levelled a hard look at Hermione as he spoke, but the witch studiously ignored him, he wasn't her father and she was having difficulty comprehending how the wizard could possibly think it any of his business.

"Harry'll help you out," Ron offered with a Slytherinesque smirk, as his twin brothers gawked at him as though he had sprouted a second head.

"Actually, I can't," corrected Harry. "I dealt with that situation a couple of years ago, could you imagine if Voldemort had been resurrected with my _virgin_ blood?"

"By process of elimination, Ronald it is," Hermione said with a laugh.

"You bitch," Ron spat. "I wish Ginny's plan had worked and you were publicly humiliated, Merlin knows you deserve it."

"No, _Ronald_, even if I hadn't caught on to Ginny's machinations, her plan wouldn't have worked because I'm not a virgin," the petite witch paused for a moment to bask in Ron's speechlessness before continuing. "And even then the results wouldn't have been what she was counting on, if that charm is ever cast on me, I would glow black." [9]

Everything froze as the implications of the witch's words became clear to everyone listening. Hermione's friends were horrified by what they had learned, while those who weren't on friendly terms with the young witch were left feeling decidedly uncomfortable by the revelation. This delicate information was now in the hands of some of the most ruthless Slytherins alive, however, by unspoken agreement everyone knew that this information would never be used against the witch.

FIN

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><p><strong>AN:** This has been floating around in my head. I have two fics on the go and just needed to get this onto white electronic paper :) I hope you enjoyed it and if you have a thought to share, please do, I enjoy receiving and reading reviews.

Here's something for you to ruminate on: What's the collective noun for Slytherins?

**Notes:**  
>[1] OSTRACISE = 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 3 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 13 x 3 (triple word score) = 33 + 50 (bonus for using all seven tiles) = 83.<br>[2] Links to clothing pictures are on my profile, it's easier to describe real items.  
>[3] Colour meanings: red is associated with war, danger, strength, power, determination, passion, love and desire; red-orange is associated with desire, sexual passion, pleasure, aggression, domination and a thirst for power; and white is associated with light, purity, innocence, goodness and virginity.<br>[4] A Promise Ring is a pre-engagement ring given to symbolise the intention to marry, even if the couple doesn't yet have the means or circumstances to be wed or enter into an official engagement at the time. A Wizard's Promise Ring has fidelity spells and enchantments woven into it and its acceptance is the equivalent of signing a magical contract to become betrothed in the future; there are few if any ways to break the contract.  
>[5] A berk is British slang for a stupid person or fool. It is a crude, offensive term (look up its origins to understand how offensive it really is).<br>[6] Odyne is the Greek Goddess of Pain.  
>[7] The Good Wife's Guide, an article rumoured to have been published in Housekeeping Monthly on the 13th of May, 1955.<br>[8] This is an idea that I've come across in quite a few fic and I agree that a magical community would, as a whole, be more accepting of minorities (despite the whole muggleborn thing).  
>[9] Black is associated with power, elegance, formality, death, evil, mystery, fear, and the unknown (black holes). It usually has a negative connotation (blacklist, black humor, 'black death').<p>

**Only read if you want to know what _I_ think a black result on a purity charm means...**  
>Personally, I think this is totally open to interpretation, but I keep getting PMs about it :)<br>Sticking to death, fear and unknown as the meaning of the colour black, a black result on a purity test would be the result of rape. I think it's quite realistic that the magic test would detect the different subtleties of how someone lost their virginity. It's magic, anything's possible.


End file.
